1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to MOSFET switching methods, and more particularly to an energy efficient gate drive method for MOSFET switching systems comprising of at least one NMOS FET and at least one PMOS FET connected in a totempole, binary push-pull, configuration having a common switch node with inductive and capacitive elements connected to this common switch node. These energy storage elements on the common switch node can be parasitic in nature or discrete components.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The standard MOSFET switch mode power converter configuration has the output FET's gate drive energy source connected to the power supply. The result of this standard configuration is to take energy from the power supply to turn on the NMOS and to turn off the PMOS, and to ground energy stored in the gate capacitance of these MOSFETs when switching their conduction states. Known structures inefficiently switch totem-pole configured MOSFETs by failing to recognize that a substantial amount energy necessary to turn a FET on could be provided by otherwise wasted energy stored in inductive and capacitive elements on the common switch node of the totem-pole connected FETs. In view of the foregoing, a need exists for a technique to configure the gate drive of binary output MOSFETs to provide an energy efficient gate drive method for MOSFET switching systems comprising of at least one NMOS FET and at least one PMOS FET connected in a totem-pole, binary push-pull, configuration having a common switch node with inductive and capacitive elements connected to this common switch node; and wherein these energy storage elements on the common switch node can be parasitic in nature or discrete components.